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10 October 2023 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo SUPPLIED
Prof Paul Oberholster
Prof Paul Oberholster, newly appointed Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

The University of the Free State (UFS) has appointed Prof Paul Oberholster as Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences as of 1 January 2024. 

Strong networks and winner of prestigious awards for research, innovation, and leadership 

Prof Oberholster is currently the Director: Centre for Environmental Management at the UFS. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the UFS before obtaining a PhD in water resource management at the University of Pretoria. 

After several years in secondary education, Prof Oberholster started his scientific research career as a Senior Scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2007. In 2017, he became a Chief Scientist (the highest scientific position at the CSIR, and senior management) managing large multidisciplinary projects on the African continent related to integrated water resource management and natural-based treatment solutions/ecological engineering. 

During his time at the CSIR, he acted as extraordinary professor and lecturer in several academic departments at different institutions, including Stellenbosch University, the University of Pretoria, and the University of the Western Cape. During the same time, he received several prestigious awards for research, innovation, and leadership. 

In 2019, Prof Oberholster joined the UFS as Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and also received the National Science and Technology Foundation (NSTF) award in the category Water Research Commission, with a focus on natural-based passive phyco-remediation and phytoremediation treatment technology. In 2022, he was elected as a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) in recognition of his academic achievements in South Africa, and in 2023 he was appointed as the Managing Director of the Ecological Engineering Institute of Africa (EEIA). 

Rated among top 2% in the world in the scientific category of engineering/technology, ecological engineering and environmental engineering. 

Currently, Prof Oberholster is rated among the top 2% in the world in the scientific category of engineering/technology, ecological engineering, and environmental engineering. “Prof Oberholster has an extensive and impressive international research standing and has established extensive networks and partnerships. He can lead and manage the faculty in support of the UFS Vision 130’s ultimate intent for the coming years to be a research-led, student-centred, and regionally engaged university,” says Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal. 

“It is a privilege to be part of the leadership team in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – we will ensure that the faculty is known nationally and internationally as an excellent faculty serving our community. We aim to consolidate and build on the strengths of the university in order to extend its excellence in research and teaching and learning, which is imbedded in the UFS Vision 130,” says Prof Oberholster. 

Prof Oberholster will succeed the current Dean, Prof Danie Vermeulen, who will be retiring at the end of December 2023. 

News Archive

Researcher takes home gold at international Famelab competition
2017-06-26

Description: Famelab competition Tags: Famelab competition

UFS researcher nabbed a top international award for
her ground-breaking metallurgical research in the UK.
Photo: Supplied

Recently, University of the Free State (UFS) Centre for Environmental Management master’s student, Tshiamo Legoale, was announced the FameLab International champion at the Cheltenham Science Festival in the United Kingdom. She is probing methods to use wheat as a gold hyper-accumulator – or, as she puts it, “grow gold from wheat”. The young researcher made South Africa proud by winning both the audience’s and the judges’ vote.

Coming back home a hero
“Winning was a surprise to me, because all 31 contestants had wonderful research. They all had really good presentations. I’m very grateful for all the support that I received from home. Social media showed me a lot of love and support. When I felt unconfident, they gave me ‘likes’ and that boosted my confidence a bit,” said Legoale about her win.

As South Africa celebrates Youth Month in June, Tshiamo represents hope for thousands of young South Africans to overcome difficult circumstances and follow careers in science.

The human impact is crucial, because Legoale’s win is not only scientific. It is also social and political. As a young female scientist in South Africa, she represented one of three African countries making it to the finals of FameLab, which has grown to one of the largest science communication competitions internationally.

With this in mind, Legoale says it may, in the end, be necessary to balance the needs of communities with the desire to increase yield. “Are we looking to make a fortune or are we looking to put food on the table?” she asks. “These are all things we consider when we conduct such research.”

World-class research from Africa
In South Africa, an estimated 17.7 million tons of gold is wasted. “All this gold was mined out previously, but tiny amounts remain in the dumps,” Legoale explains.

Her research focuses on the uses of wheat as a gold hyper-accumulator, which essentially means wheat plants are used to harvest gold from mine dumps. Simply put, the wheat is planted in the dumps, where enzymes found in the roots react with the gold and the plant absorbs it. The gold is then absorbed by every part of the plant, except the seeds, which means the next harvest can be used for food if need be.

“South Africa's world-champion young scientist, Tshiamo, represents all that is good about this country – brilliant, bright, and set for a fine future. I'm so proud that British Council SA, together with our partners SAASTA and Jive Media Africa, can help her along the way. Huge congratulations to her from all of us – it is a big win for Africa on the world stage,” said Colm McGivern, British Council South Africa Country Director.

The research represents a win on multiple levels. First, there are the obvious potential socio-economic benefits: food production, job creation, and phytomining is more economical than other contemporary mining methods.

Then there is safety. It is a more environmentally friendly practice than methods like heap leaching, carbon-in-leach or carbon-in-pulp. It is also safer for miners themselves, who will not be exposed to dangerous chemicals like mercury, which has been responsible for a great deal of toxicity in mine dumps. And it is safer for those living in the surrounds.

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